D Home ⋅ May-June 2013

"The most exciting moment in a hunt is when you find something truly special," -Achlee Wise Photography by Jill Broussard

Old is New Again, at Vieux

This Richardson shop offers good vintage.

By Joslyn TaylorFrom D Home May-June 2013"The most exciting moment in a hunt is when you find something truly special," -Achlee Wise Photography by Jill Broussard

Nick and Achlee Wise

Achlee and Nick Wise have a knack for seeing potential where others don’t. Take, for example, the low-slung commercial building they spotted for rent on an unremarkable stretch of Greenville Avenue just off Richardson’s Main Street. The minute they walked into its warren of acoustic-tile-clad industrial rooms they knew they’d found the perfect place to showcase their trove of vintage furniture and accessories. “We instantly saw the potential in the building’s clean lines and ample indoor/ outdoor space,” Nick recalls. Their first standalone shop, Vieux, was born.

The husband and wife have spent the past seven years combing auctions, estate sales, Craigslist, and even hoarders’ garages to find treasures that give a home personality and character. The result is a vast rotating collection of iconic midcentury furniture and objects, art, sleek Lucite tables, and brass and glass pieces that would make Kelly Wearstler swoon. They meticulously research pieces so they know when they’ve sussed out a Breuer, Eames, or Wormley. “The most exciting moment in a hunt is when you find something truly special hidden in a pile of otherwise nondescript items,” Achlee says. “You feel like you’ve won the lottery.”

The duo previously sold their inspired assemblage out of several booths at both Lula B’s locations. But for Nick and Achlee, the logistics and cost of managing multiple booths, combined with the space constraints, prompted a change. The discovery of the diamond in the rough in Richardson sealed the deal.

“Vieux is our dream,” Achlee says. “We’ve been working on this for years.”